


Unto The Breach

by MelissaBosquez



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man (Tom Holland Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, F/M, Gen, Gilmore Girls AU, Iron Dad, Parent Tony Stark, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark Friendship, Pepper Potts Is a Good Bro, Pepper is Luke Danes, Pepperony eventually, Peter Parker is Tony Stark's Biological Child, Protective Tony Stark, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, Tony Stark Has A Heart
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-12-06
Updated: 2020-04-02
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:14:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21699082
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelissaBosquez/pseuds/MelissaBosquez
Summary: At the age of 16 Tony Stark became a father. He also gave up his claim as the Stark heir and cut off all ties to that life to raise his son on his own. 15 years later his past finally begins to catch up to him and he has to set aside his pride and open his life back up to his parents in order for his son to have the life he deserves.ORA Gilmore Girls AU :D
Relationships: Howard Stark/Maria Stark, May Parker (Spider-Man) & Peter Parker & Tony Stark, May Parker (Spider-Man)/Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Peter Parker & Tony Stark, past - Relationship
Comments: 53
Kudos: 270





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, I love this show and I love these characters. I have had this written for a couple months now and another Gilmore Girls AU came out around the same time so I put this on the back burner. I didn't read the other so as not to be influenced in the future but I really just loved this and wanted to put it out there. 
> 
> It might become a series or I might leave it at this. Let me know what you think or if you enjoy it at all. :) This is my first IronDad too so i'm nervous. lol
> 
> Also, not everything will be the same as the show and some things are different like the school stuff. I know it's not the exact same thing but I went more off my Arts high school process.

The front door of “Pepper’s” burst open, nearly taking the bell off as it rattled and jingled the arrival of the only customer who could make an entrance like that. A cool breeze blew in behind Tony Stark, signaling what would soon be the start of crisp fall mornings, as he stumbled like a zombie towards the front counter, desperately clutching a well worn travel mug in his hands.

“Pepper, light of my life. Pepper, please you have to help me. I need you.”

He could feel Pepper roll her eyes as she moved around behind the counter, sizing him up as he collapsed onto the first empty stool.

“How much have you had today, Tony?” She raised her eyebrow at him and dared him to lie to her.

“Erm, this will be my first of the day…” It was mostly true. Her stare pierced down to his very soul and he squirmed awkwardly, the squeaks of the stool echoing beneath him. “Okay, the first of a normal person’s morning.”

“And how many before that?”

“Three but who’s counting? You know yours is the best anyways.” 

Pepper’s coffee couldn’t be beat. It made every other brew taste like dirty dish water in comparison to the rich, smooth blend that was sitting in a pot just barely out of his reach. It was tatamount to torture to be this close and his cup still so empty.

Pepper’s stern face came back to his vision as she leaned down towards him, hands gripping the counter. “You have a problem Tony.”

He smiled what he hoped was a charming smile. “My problem is this empty mug, Pep.”

She just shook her head in despair and sighed. “Say it with me Tony…”

“I am addicted to coffee,” they both spoke at the same time, Tony’s voice slightly manic over Pepper’s monotone. She did this to him on purpose, always on the days that he needed his fix the worst. Tantamount to torture, damn it. 

“There! I've admitted it. My shame is out there for all to know.”

She gazed into his eyes for a long time, before cracking a real smile, finally satisfied that she had made him suffer enough. Pepper swiftly turned back around and grabbed the coffee pot returning to slowly fill up his cup. 

“And I am sadly your enabler.”

Tony inhaled the steaming brew as his cup filled and immediately took a large gulp, not caring how hot it was. He had developed an immunity to hot coffee by now. The groan it elicited could have put Meg Ryan to shame.

“You’re a godsend Pep and don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Pepper just shook her head and went back to what she was doing before he burst through the door. Over her shoulder she asked, “Where’s Pete?”

“Oh, you know,” he began, sneaking a blueberry muffin from the display in front of him. “He fell behind on my quest for coffee. Decisions had to be made, casualties were endured.”

It was that precise moment the door blew open again and the younger Stark entered looking frazzled. He wiped a bead of sweat from his brow, coming up to the counter and collapsing his books next to Tony. Tony jumped reflexively and nearly spilled the precious brown liquid all over his shirt.

“Man, for someone with short legs I’ll never get over how fast you can travel when properly motivated!” he exclaimed and Tony just shrugged, picking a couple of pieces from the muffin and sliding the rest down to Peter.

“Hey, we have the same genes so I would watch it if I were you.”

“Yeah, but I at least have the benefit of a few more years of growing to do.”

Tony frowned and nudged Peter’s shoulder. He took another sip of coffee as he evaluated the boy. “You’re being a terror this morning, let me help you out. Coffee?”

Peter nodded desperately. “Coffee.” 

Tony waved Pepper over, taking Peter’s Spiderman mug, a gag gift from last christmas, and holding it out beggingly before him. He jutted his bottom lip out and giving the red head what he hoped was his most pitiful look.

“Please ma’am, may I have some more?”

“Don't go on tour anytime soon, your Oliver Twist is terrible,” she deadpanned.

“So, I’ve heard. Please, it’s for Pete. He’s a growing boy.”

"You know coffee actually stunts your growth right?"

"Lies and slander, probably made up by tea drinkers." Tony shuddered in his seat for dramatic effect.

Pepper eyed him up and down. "Sure about that one? You seem to be missing a few inches."

Tony scoffed. "C'mon Pep, stop browbeating me and do it for the boy."

Pepper looked between the pair and Peter had joined Tony in giving his best wounded puppy look. The pair made a striking picture, their features mirroring the other so perfectly, one would be hard pressed to deny their relation. Looking at Peter especially though, Pepper felt that same protective urge stir inside her that she had when he was still just a child, those big doe eyes pleading for another sweet. She relented, as she always did, filling his mug to the top. 

Tony motioned to his now empty mug with a grin but she just gave him a pointed stare and put the pot back.

“Sorry, no refills to coffee moochers.”

“Aw, Pep don’t be like that. Just put it on my tab.”

“You don’t have a tab, Tony.”

“Well, I should.”

“Forget about it, you’re lucky you got what you did. I can’t enable you any further this morning.”

“This is oppression!”

Peter watched the exchange with a smile. It was old hat by now, the start of a thousand mornings for the Stark men. 

“Thank you, Ms. Potts!” he called out to her and took a large drink from his own mug, Tony looking on enviously. Peter just ignored him and whipped out his cell phone, tapping a few buttons and bringing up a text thread. 

“So, check it out, I was texting Ned this morning and he said that the acceptance packets for Midtown were supposed to be sent out this week. We could be getting them as soon as friday! And I was looking at the uniforms online again and they’re really not that bad. I mean I can deal with the coats and ties for a bit if it means getting to take robotics…”

He eagerly shoved the phone into Tony’s face, scrolling through the stock photos of the school uniforms that they had already perused through a million times at home. His excitement was contagious and Tony smiled along with him and listened as he described the different classes that he was hoping to take. 

They had applied for the late fall term having completely missed the early fall registration deadline because Tony had stayed up all night on an inventing bender and passed out around six am, totally blowing through the morning alarm. Peter was a notorious heavy sleeper too, so neither stirred until well after the window for registration had closed. Tony felt awful but Peter had taken it all in stride.

The phone suddenly started buzzing in Peter’s hand, the Imperial March from Star Wars blaring across the small cafe making customers heads pop up and search out the cause of the disruption. Peter panicked and immediately declined the call from Ned, shooting him a quick text that he’d call him later, but it was too late and Pepper had already marched her way over to where he sat and eyed the phone he hastily tried to pocket.

“Peter, c’mon. Do you see the sign?” she asked turning around and pointing to the sign that boldly stated the cell phone free zone. 

“Oh, I know, sorry Ms. Potts! I was showing him the uniforms for Midtown and then Ned called, but I told him I’d call him back after I leave,” he started rambling nervously but Pepper cut him off with a wave as Tony snickered in the background.

“Don’t worry about it, just remember for next time.”

“Oh, of course,” he smiled so earnestly it was hard to even feign annoyance.

“So, Midtown,” Pepper began, settling back between the pair, pretending to wipe down the already clean countertops. “Did you get in finally?”

“We don’t know yet. Should be finding out this week. If it’s a small envelope we’re doomed, but a big envelope and you’ll be looking at Midtown class of 2020.”

“Well, I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you,” she smiled and squeezed his hand affectionately. “You make it and I’ll make you that pie you always harass me to make out of season.”

Tony blanched. Pepper didn’t make concessions to anyone, even as doe eyed and innocent as Pete. “Um, okay, how come he gets the special treatment?”

“He’s more polite than you.”

“I resent that remark.”

“I can’t help the truth,” she shrugged and and headed to the other end of the bar to wait on a pair of blondes that walked in, looking very lost and out of place. Passerbys Tony, would wager.

“She’s in love with me,” he said with a matter of fact nod. Peter rolled his eyes so hard Tony worried they’d get stuck that way.

“I can tell by the way you both verbally assault each other every morning.” 

“It’s just a matter of time, I’m telling you. She can’t resist the Stark charm forever.”

“Is that what that was?”

“Hey, don’t you have a bus to catch?”

“Nah, I have a few minutes. I like to watch Ms. Potts dance circles around you.”

“And just for that one you have lost coffee privileges,” he said and reached over to snatch up Peter’s mug before he could even protest. Tony threw it back in one drink as Peter unsuccessfully tried to get it back.

“You’re getting me more, that’s not right stealing a man’s coffee like that.” Peter folded his arms across his chest and glared.

“Please, you’re still a boy, and no refills remember?”

“That’s only for you.”

Tony slid the mug over to bump against Peter’s school books. “Then I guess you should start working Pepper now for that next fix.”

Peter groaned and playfully shoved Tony as he stood up and made his way to beg for more lifeblood. 

Tony watched the boy go and felt the same immense pride and happiness swell in his chest that he always did when looking at Peter for too long. The kid was brilliant, maybe even more so than he was, only he was going to make something more of himself than a failed inventor moonlighting as an inn manager. He couldn’t dwell too hard on his own failings though. For the most part he was exactly where he wanted to be and it was sure as hell a much better enviornment for Peter to grow up in than that empty and foreboding Stark mansion. 

Though the money of that life would definitely have been a huge help. By Tony’s estimation it would take around $75,000 altogether to put Peter through Midtown and he had no idea where he was going to come up with that kind of dough. They had enough money put back to be comfortable where they were but it wouldn’t take long for it to be bled dry. He wouldn’t let Peter worry about that though. Tony would stand out on a corner selling himself if it meant the kid got the education that he wanted. Okay, so maybe it wouldn’t come to that particular extreme, but there was nothing that he wouldn’t do to ensure Peter’s continued happiness. 

A shrill laugh filled the air and brought Tony out of his daze. Peter still hadn’t returned and he looked around the small room searching for his curly bedhead. He spotted him at the end of the bar leaning back awkwardly, one of the leggy blondes from earlier practically sandwiching him against the counter. She had been the source of the laugh. Tony evaluated the scene and could tell that Peter was clearly uncomfortable as the woman looked at him like he was prey. 

Pepper shot concerned glances every couple of seconds but she was busy helping another customer, unable to come to his rescue. 

Tony hopped down from the stool and shoved his hands into his jean pockets as he approached.

“...cabin in the woods for the weekend. I’d really love it if you could join us too,” Tony caught the blonde saying in a suggestive tone as he approached.

Peter laughed nervously and rubbed his neck with the hand that wasn’t holding the newly refilled coffee.

“Is everything okay over here, Pete?” 

Peter’s eyes shot to Tony’s in relief and he scooted towards him subconsciously. The blonde turned towards Tony too at first with a look of disgust and annoyance at having her conversation interrupted but then she raked her eyes across Tony’s form appreciatively and her grin from before grew more predatory if it were possible.

“Yeah, I was just getting coffee from Ms. Potts when I was…”

“Accosted?” Tony supplied helpfully.

The blonde tsked. “Hi, I’m Christine.”

“Tony,” he said with a nod.

“Tony. I was just discussing with your little brother here, that I was just passing through on my way to a weekend retreat with a friend. I think it’d be really nice if you guys could join us. We’ll go hiking, make a campfire, maybe some skinny dipping at the lake,” she raised her brow suggestively and Peter’s face turned an impressive shade of beet red.

Tony’s mind hadn’t even got to processing that part of the conversation yet.

“Brother?” he asked and looked over to Peter, holding the laughter at bay. The thought seemingly finally permeated his understanding as well because then Peter was laughing and Tony was right there with him.

Christine stared at the duo blankly as they tried to get the laughter under control.

“She thinks…” Tony began.

“That me and you…” Peter continued.

“This always happens.”

The laughter finally stopped and they both straightened up, Tony turning to Christine and schooling his features back to what Peter called his serious face.

“Peter is not my brother.”

“He’s not?” Christine asked in confusion. She looked the duo over once more noting the similarities in eyes and facial structure. 

“Peter is my son.”

“Your son?” she gaped.

“According to the birth certificate,” Peter added, his confidence and joking manner returning at the shift in power of the situation.

Christine tried to recover from her error and squared her shoulders. “Well, the offer is still open. Father and son changes things a little but I do have a friend,” she motioned to a brunette that was sitting at a table glued to her cell phone an inch away from her face.

“Slow down, cougar town don’t let his height deceive you. Peter is 15 years old. You’ve been sexually harassing a minor for the last ten minutes.”

Christine’s eyes practically bulged from her skull and she backed away slowly, bumping into the table behind her. “I am so sorry, you look...and he looked…” she stuttered and snapped in front of her friends face a few times. “Jillian we need to leave.”

Tony had never seen such a hasty retreat in his thirty one years of life. He and Pete started laughing again and headed back to their original seats, Peter hastily grabbing his books from the counter and shoving them into his backpack.

“Well, that was fun,” he remarked and then threw an arm around Tony’s neck and giving him a quick squeeze. “Love ya, Dad. Star Wars marathon tonight?” Peter asked backing up towards the door with finger pointed at him. “You promised.”

“Original trilogy only,” Tony replied firmly.

“You’re such a snob.” Another eyeroll. Tony didn’t know how he didn’t get dizzy. “Take out from Joe’s and that new chinese restaurant?”

“Done.”

Peter smiled again and finally satisfied darted out the door and to the bus stop. Tony watched him run down the street until he couldn’t see him anymore, a grin still plastered to his face.The sound of coffee filling his empty mug caused Tony to whip around in wonder.

“I thought there were no refills?”

He folded his arms across his chest as Pepper just shrugged in response.

“Consider it a thank you.”

“For what?”

Pepper smiled sweetly and Tony got that fluttery feeling in his chest that always occurred when Pepper Potts smiled at him. He wanted to take a picture and frame it forever. She glanced to the table that Christine and her friend had vacated and then back to Tony and winked.

“For taking out the trash.”

He smiled back and took a long drink of the perfectly blended coffee. He didn’t care what jokes Peter made. That Stark charm was definitely wearing her down. Now if only they were close enough to ask her for a boatload of money to put his son through the school of his choice.

Tony did have other options. 

He could call...them.

He would almost rather die though. Almost. They could definitely afford it and would almost certainly be thrilled to help their only grandson, but he didn't want to let them get their hooks in Peter and by extension himself. He spent so many years distancing himself from that life and proving that he didn't need them and their money. To come crawling back even for such a noble cause was painful. And who knows. Maybe Peter wouldn't even get in.

Shit. Who was he kidding? Peter was almost guaranteed to be admitted. He was his father's son after all.

Still. He could put off Howard and Maria a little longer. 

Pulling out his phone he scrolled through his contacts. He had friends but none that he could impose upon like that. 

There was one more person though. He scrolled down to the M's and his finger hovered over May's number. He and May had always retained a great friendship. They chatted often enough and she always made time to ask about and talk to Peter. If anyone would help him and not make him feel completely humiliated in the process it was May Parker. This was technically 50% of her responsibility after all. 

She was Peter's mother.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for this taking so long. After the great response I wanted to go ahead and continue but I had a few other fics I was working on at the same time and needed to figure out where to take this and how I wanted it to go. 
> 
> To be honest this a bit of a filler chapter to establish some more characters and backstories but I hope that you will enjoy it all the same. 
> 
> No idea what kind of posting schedule this will have so make sure to hit the subscribe button to stay up to date! 
> 
> Thanks everyone and enjoy! :D

Tony sat in his car just staring at the Inn. 

He had swung a trip back home to pick up his wallet that he’d forgotten when he had noticed that the mail had been delivered. He grabbed the stack without looking and threw it into the passenger seat of the car, rushing to work so he wouldn’t be late. He had actually still managed to be early, the Inn only a few miles away and of course sifted through the pile. 

It had been mostly bills and ads, but one white envelope stuck out amongst them all. It was giant and heavy and most of all from Midtown. What was it Peter had said? Big envelope was good and small was bad? He should have probably waited until Pete got out of school to look at it but he instead gently opened it up so it could be resealed later.

He was met with a congratulations and about twenty multicolored forms to fill out by Monday morning, the start of the new semester. Then came the scholarship letter. $10,000 to be divided between all for semesters for the next three years. It should have been amazing, but as he feared this entire time, their income bracket hadn’t allowed for the full tuition coverage and if he wanted Peter’s dream to come true he owed nearly $4,000 by Monday morning. No, they did not accept partial payments or payment arrangements. Just one lump sum of cash that Tony hadn’t had the luxury of having in his bank account to blow since he left home.

_ Fuck _ .

It took another ten minutes of staring before he realized he was late and he buried the damning letter under the bills and Sonic ads.

“You’re late,” Happy mouthed, putting a hand over the phone call he was on as Tony burst through the door and made his way behind the front desk.

“I’m sorry who’s the boss?”

Happy rolled his eyes. “Not you.”

“Any mail?” Happy pointed to a small stack next to the computer and Tony grabbed it and began to thumb through as Happy continued the phone call.

“Yes--Yes I am still here, unfortunately,” he mumbled under his breath before proceeding with an overly faked pleasant tone. “I understand that you thought you booked a King sized suite but I am showing you on the computer as having one of our double bed rooms. I realize that’s not what you’d like but that’s what you booked in advance and our King suite has already been booked. No, I can’t bump the other people, they know how to make the reservation they want.”

Tony chuckled at Happy’s exasperation as he gave cursory glances to the bills and junk mail that had come in that morning. Happy’s already grumpy demeanor began to digress further as the caller squawked in his ear loud enough for Tony to clearly distinguish their every word. He tapped the bigger man on the shoulder and whispered, “Offer to upgrade to Queen.”

Happy’s eyes widened and he sighed, “I can upgrade you to a Queen, but you would still need to pay the difference.” The squawking on the other line grew even louder if that was imaginable. Happy’s face began to turn red, little beads of sweat starting to form at his receding hairline the angrier he got. “Yes, you still have to pay! It was not my error. Perhaps you could use a new pair of glasses, cause you’re crazy lady if you think it’s truly possible to mistake DOUBLE BED for KING!”

Tony grimaced and indicated for Happy to cut the call just as a scathing insult about Happy’s mother’s line of work rang out and the man actually gasped and pulled the phone away from his ear, ready to blow. Quickly Tony snatched the phone out of the man’s hands before he could finish winding up and really causing a scene.

“Whoa, hi, how are we Mrs--” he glanced at the computer screen, “Greenleaf! I’m so sorry for the inconvenience but as my associate has said our King suite has already been procured for your selected dates but I assure you our Queen suite is just as amazing. Tell you what, to make up for the extra expense and all the  _ hassle _ ,” he threw a glare towards Happy who shrugged a shoulder and continued to angrily reorganize the desk. “Tell me, do you like to eat? Well, I promise our kitchen is to die for, now breakfast is already included in the price but I can comp you for our dinner service, for the duration of your stay. I promise it’s more than worth it. Fantastic. Thank you so much Mrs. Greenleaf, we look forward to seeing you next week.”

Tony hung up the phone with a groan. That lady was going to be a pain in the ass for sure but a guest was a guest and Tony had to set the example as the Manager, no matter what his personal feelings dictated. 

“What a hag.”

Happy clearly held no such similar belief.

“Very much so,  _ but _ our goal is to book guests, Hap, not run them off.”

“She’s a freeloader, she was doing that on purpose. I know it and you know it.”

“I do know it, but the customer is always right, and all that.”

“Who invented that saying? Cause there has never been a more inaccurate saying than that.I upgraded her to the Queen suite with the drippy faucet. I hope it drives her nuts.”

“Whatever makes you feel better. Speaking of, has Clint come by to fix the a/c in the east wing yet?”

Happy shook his head. “He said you know how to fix it and he doesn’t know why you’re wasting his time.”

Clint wasn’t wrong but Tony didn’t have time for games today. “Of course he did.” Tony pulled out his cell and sent a quick text reply to Peter, asking if Ned could join them for their Star Wars marathon. 

_ Sure, but he doesn’t get to do Vader. _

With that out of the way he selected Clint’s name and impatiently waited for the man to answer. On the seventh ring, a very tired voice mumbled what could barely pass for a greeting. “Clint, old buddy, old pal! Why is my a/c not fixed yet?”

Awareness slowly shifted into the other man’s tone and he responded in a huff. “You know as well as I do that you could fix that issue all on your own.”

“Probably, but see I am the Inn Manager and you are my maintenance guy, and I have a seminar group from Connecticut coming in tomorrow, I don’t have time to crawl around the duct work today. What am I paying you for bird brain?”

“Yeah, yeah,” he groaned and shifted the phone around as he presumably rolled out of bed. “Make sure you have some coffee brewed.”

“Is there ever not any coffee brewed?”

“Fair point. Be there in twenty.”

Tony disconnected and rubbed his temple, already staving off a headache. He still needed to call May, but she was on night shift this week and it was still too early to think about bothering her. Especially to ask her if she potentially had a couple grand lying around to help supplement their son’s education. 

“You know Happy,” he called out as he noticed the man was practically growling at the guests walking by, “If you actually lived up to your name sake and stopped looking like you wished all of our guests would just die, maybe you wouldn’t cause me so many headaches.”

“But I do wish most of them would die. Look at them loitering.” His tone was dead serious and Tony glanced to where Happy indicated the loitering to be.

“It’s the seating area Hap, they’re supposed to loiter.”

“Morons, all of them. I swear I don’t need this job. I could have---”

“Let me cut you off right there Marlon Brando, if I have to hear the “I could’ve been a contender” speech one more time I might actually die and I can’t do that to my kid.”

Happy had come to the Inn around six years ago. He originally had been a boxer, and a pretty damn good one if he had anything to say about it. He’d been semi-pro boxing in middle weight circuits for years until one concussion too many threatened his life and he was unable to step into the ring again. 

It was the year before Tony was promoted to Executive Manager. Ho Yinsen, the owner of the Inn, was still in charge of the day to day operations and was genuinely entertained by the gruff, muscular man with two black eyes who came to the counter and requested a job, any kind of job. He was three days off from his final fight and depressed enough that he felt he had nothing to lose and moved across the entire state for a change of pace. Though Happy had seemed more suitable for behind the scenes work, Yinsen always found a way to challenge people to be their best selves and hired him with full benefits for the front desk.

Tony and Happy both had thought Yinsen was crazy but that was just the way the man was. He took a chance on people. He didn’t care about qualifications or appearances. He had an uncanny way to look at a person and know exactly who they were. So, with a swollen face and a grumpy tone, Happy started his career at the Independence Inn and became one of Tony’s best friends, second only to James Rhodes.

“How is Pete, I haven’t seen him around in awhile?”

“Fine, fine. Actually just found out he got in at Midtown,” Tony waved off distractedly.

Happy narrowed his eyes at the younger man in concern. Midtown was a big deal and from Tony’s voice you’d think the kid had just been drafted to Vietnam. “That’s great. He’s a smart kid, he’ll be fine at that school.”

“Clearly, look at his father,” Tony joked but it fell flat as worry leaked into his tone. Happy gave him  _ the look _ , the one that meant he better spill what was really going on or he would drive him nuts until he did. “I’m kinda dreading it.”

“Because?’

Tony shrugged his shoulder and looked back to the email he was checking before answering softly. “Just cause it’s the school of our dreams doesn’t mean it’s the school my wallet dreamed of.”

“Ah,” Happy nodded in understanding. “Aren’t there scholarships?”

“Yeah, but what they offered only covers so much. You wouldn’t happen to have a small fortune hidden away in your mattress do you Hap?”

“If I did would I be here?”

“Remind me to tell Yinsen how much you hate working here next time he visits.” Happy just rolled his eyes, the age old threat rolling off his back. “I think I’m going to have to suck it up and call her though.”

“Call who?”

“May.”

“She single yet?”

“No, Hap. You are still 2 years too late.”

Happy didn’t seem perturbed in the slightest. “She’ll leave that guy one day, just you wait and see.”

“You mean her  _ husband?  _ Her  _ police officer _ husband? Give it up, pal, it’s not gonna happen.”

“What’s he got that I don’t?”

Tony scoffed as he drew up the image of Ben Parker. “A charming personality and a sunny disposition? Looks like he probably poses for those nude Police and Firefighter type calendars?” Tony was almost jealous. Not because Ben was with May, more because she was with him. They had only met a handful of times but he never failed to leave a good impression. 

“Overrated. I bet I could take him in a match if I had half the chance.”

“Settle down Raging Bull, I’m going to find Rhodey, can you please work on your smile and customer service face?”

“This is my customer service face,” Happy called out as Tony began to disappear down the hall.

Tony flipped back around and walked backwards a few steps. “That’s why I need you to work on it.”

* * *

“Hey, Dad and I are having an OG Star Wars marathon tonight, you in?” Peter asked flopping beside his best friend at the lunch table.

Ned barely spared him a glance as he took a bite of one of his french fries. “Depends, are you guys going to order in bad takeout and quote and act out the movie the entire time like maniacs?”

“Duh.” Peter said with a grin.

“SWEET, I’m in. I call dibs on Darth Vader.”

Peter thought back to his Dad’s earlier text with a sigh. “You’ll have to fight Dad on that, he takes the original trilogy very seriously.”

Peter dug into his own lunch at that, barely registering Ned’s rant on how taking the series too seriously was what was actually causing the decline in the quality of the films. Instead he focused on the figure two lunch tables away, hoodie pulled tightly around her head as she snacked on apple slices and perused through a worn copy of “The Bell Jar.” 

Ned stopped mid rant knowingly when he realized that Peter had once again spaced out on him. “You going to ask her out yet?”

Peter startled from his gaze, shaking his head slightly and going back to his burger. “What? Ask who?”

“MJ, dude. You’ve only been making moon eyes over her since second grade when she ruined the Thanksgiving pageant Wednesday Addams style.”

“You’re crazy.”

“And you’re running out of time dude. This time next week we both might be sitting in a Midtown cafeteria, far, far away. Let me be your wing man on this Pete and trust me. Ask. Her. Out.”

Peter wanted to ask her out, Ned wasn’t wrong about that, but it was nowhere as easy as he was trying to make it out to be. Peter was awkward. He was aware enough of himself to know that painful truth. As much as his dad liked to tease and joke about the Stark charm, it had without a doubt skipped a generation and left Peter a sweating, mumbling dweeb any time he even so much as said hi to someone he considered mildly attractive.

“I think she hates us. She always calls us losers.”

Ned huffed. “We are losers, but losers are IN right now, don’t you get it? It’s a geek’s world out there. Besides, she always says it with a smile, so obviously she doesn’t mean it.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Tick, tock. Tick, tock. That’s the sound of time slipping away for you two forever…”

“What am I even supposed to say to her?”

“Ask her on a date. Invite her to watch Star Wars with us tonight!”

“And you think that’s not enough to run her off?”

“We need a Leia…” Ned trailed off.

“This is a bad idea.”

“Hey, worse comes to worse, you’ll probably be switching schools in a couple days and you’ll never see her again.”

“You’re so supportive,” Peter deadpanned as he stood up and took a deep breath.

He could do this. He could. It wouldn’t be the end of the world if she said no, right? Embarrassing, yes, but he’d get over that eventually. Maybe. Damn it, what did his dad always do? Dad never really dated, at least not openly around Peter. He was sure there had been some girls at some point but none were serious enough to be introduced to him. 

So, he had to recall a different route. image of his dad leaning against the counter at Pepper’s, a big smile on his face. He would normally tell a cheesy joke or or one liner and even though his advances were always rebuffed, she would always laugh with him and sometimes even blush. As much as he liked to tease the man, Peter did often wonder if maybe there was a little truth to his father’s advances working on Ms. Potts.

Peter was terrible at jokes and one liners though. He always messed up the punchlines. 

“Just be yourself, Peter,” he mumbled under his breath as he walked towards MJ’s table. He came up right beside her but she never even moved a muscle or showed any signs that she knew he was there. Peter turned around to look back at Ned and his friend just gave him the thumbs up. Some wing man.

Peter cleared his throat, hoping to catch her attention. Again she didn’t even flinch, eyes remaining glued to the book. Peter opened his mouth to speak but MJ took that moment to speak.

“I know you’re there, loser, what do you want?”

Well, that was not how he anticipated this conversation to begin. 

“Hi, um, I’m Peter…”

“Stark I know. Your dad works at that Inn. We’ve only been in the same classes since kindergarten. Why are you darkening my metaphorical door?”

“Well, I was just wondering if you liked Star Wars?”

This caused MJ to finally stop reading her book and turn to face Peter. She didn’t look upset or anything, just confused, so Peter took this as his cue to continue, 

“I was asking because my dad and I, and my buddy Ned of course,” he pointed his friends way and MJ followed his direction, his wingman waving a friendly hand, “Well, we were going to get a bunch of takeout and marathon---”

“Old trilogy or new trilogy?” MJ cut him off contemplatively.

“Old. My dad is kinda a purist.”

“I’m in.”

“Oh. That was easy.”

“Yeah, only took you about ten years, I’d say. Text me the details,” she said and slid him a piece of paper with her number before gathering her things. “See ya later. Peter.”

Peter turned wide eyed back to Ned, his brain still not fully processing what had just taken place. He had asked a girl out and she had said yes. Ned just gave him two thumbs up as he dazedly walked back towards the lunch table, hastily entering MJ’s number into his phone.

* * *

Rhodey was yet another misfit that Yinsen seemingly added to his collection of employees. He had dreamed his entire life of growing up and being a pilot in the Air Force until on his eighteenth birthday when he took all of his tests, his dreams of flying were dashed when it was discovered he was color blind. The Air Force had tried to offer him other jobs but what was the point? He couldn’t be that close to his dream and not be able to take it. 

So, he somehow wound up in Stars Hollow from Philly with his sights set on a new culinary career, and he was pretty damn good at it for someone who wasn’t classically trained. Or trained at all aside from a mean cheesesteak. 

Tony had been seventeen at the time and still way in over his head with a tiny studio apartment and a crazy one year old running around getting into everything. It didn’t take long for Rhodey to take him under his wing though and they became fast friends. He even became Peter’s unofficial godfather, a decision that had been made over cheesesteaks and watching...well...The Godfather.

“Honey bear, please tell me the coffee is fresh,” Tony asked busting through the double doors. 

“Your mug is already filled on the counter. I was starting to get worried about you. Normally, you’ve already gone through two cups by now.”

“Yeah, well. I got an extra fix from Pepper this morning.”

Rhodey raised an eyebrow. “What did you do?”

“Why are you implying that I had to do something to get an extra cup of coffee? Are my years of friendship with her worth nothing in your mind?”

“Pepper wouldn’t enable you without good reason.”

“It doesn’t matter. I need some advice.”

Rhodey was all ears now and looked his friend up and down, the faint aura of desperation taking over him as he gulped at his coffee. Continued levity would be needed to get through this crisis.“Oh so you’ve come to freeload off of me now?”

“I sign your checks, it’s not a freebie.”

Rhodey rolled his eyes. “Yinsen signs my checks.”

“Yeah, but I do payroll,” he stated back matter of factly and polished off the coffee.

“What do you need Tones, I’m trying to get this sauce right.”

Tony was quiet for a moment, his features shifting from playful to troubled. Rhodey gave him his moment, stirring the sauce and taking a taste. Needed a little more salt, maybe some garlic too.

“What’s a nice way to ask someone for several thousand dollars?”

That was not what he had been expecting the man to say. “Are you in trouble with a mobster Tones?”

“Ha ha. I’m serious, dude, it’s for Peter.”

Rhodey raised an eyebrow. “Is  _ he _ in trouble with a mobster?”

“Just capitalism. I shouldn’t have to give an arm and a leg to make sure my kid gets the education he deserves.”

“He in at Midtown?” he asked, reading between the lines.

“Newly minted as soon as I just sell my soul to make sure his tuition is covered.”

“Don’t tell me you’re thinking about asking _ them _ ?”

“Hell no. I’m looking for a loan not indentured servitude.” Tony tried to pass off the statement as a quip and with a laugh but they both were sadly aware at just how true that particular statement could be. 

“I mean...it’s not a bad idea if you’re left without any other options. But I’m sure May will do whatever she can too. Just be straight with her. I don’t know why you always get like this when you need to ask her for something.”

Tony honestly didn’t know either. Maybe it was because some part of himself felt like he was still that sixteen year old trying to prove that he could take care of a child all on his own. May had always supported him and believed in him, unequivocally trusting, but he always felt like he was failing in some way when he couldn’t handle it all. 

He sighed and bumped shoulders with Rhodey, turning and leaning back against the counter, arms folded over his chest. “You’re right, as always.”

Rhodey smiled easily and held out a sauce spoon for him to taste. 

“Mmm. Not bad,” Tony said licking his lips. 

Rhodey scoffed. “Not bad?”

“Well, I can’t inflate your ego too much, there’s only room enough for one of those around here, and we know who that belongs to,” he grinned and grabbed his refilled coffee, narrowly dodging a kitchen towel being thrown at his head. 

He retreated to the comfort of his office and all but collapsed in his chair. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. Just be straight with her like Rhodey had said. It’s not like she was going to bite his head off. God he just fucking hated asking for money worse than anything at all. He always felt like such a loser.

He found her name and sent off a quick text, hoping she’d be up by now.

_ Hey, we need to talk. _

Thankfully, he didn’t have long to wait, his phone immediately buzzing back.

_ Sounds ominous. I’m just getting out of the shower call you in five? _

Tony smiled a little, his anxiety lessening it’s hold as he was reminded of exactly who he was dealing with. It wasn’t some kind of monster that would ridicule him. It was May.

_ I’ll be here.  _ He fired back and laid the phone down, relaxing back into his chair and glancing at the photos on his desk, waiting for the call. There were plenty of pictures of Peter throughout the years at science fairs, vacations and one of his disastrous foray into pee-wee baseball. That was the summer they confirmed for good that Peter had exactly zero hand eye coordination.

Behind all of those was the one photo that Tony had taken with him when he’d abandoned his old life. He wasn’t a sentimental person but he did love this picture of him and May. It was taken just weeks before they found out about Peter, at one of those cheap little carnival photo booths. Four pictures taken seconds after each other. The first three they had goofed with bunny ears and tongues stuck out but the last picture he’d held her close against him and they’d smiled and kissed, like the fools in love they were. So, young and naive, without a clue as to the reality check that they were in store for. 

Tony’s phone buzzed against the wood of his desk, pulling him from his reverie. Lord knows that the last thing he needed right now was a trip down memory lane when he was about to grovel like a fool, as he’d done all those years ago. He sighed and answered.

“Hey, sorry to bother you like this.”

“You know it’s no bother. What’s going on Tone, is something wrong with Peter?” she asked concerned and Tony felt himself loose a breath that he hadn’t known he’d been holding. 

“Not a problem. He was accepted to Midtown.”

“Are you kidding? That’s fantastic. That was nearly all he talked about this summer when he visited. I had to translate all the science geek talk for Ben. I swear you and Peter are just alike.”

Tony smiled. He knew because that was all Peter had been talking about the entire summer to anyone who had ears. “Yeah, it is great. And you know that’s not all me, I hated school. The straight A’s and academic drive definitely came from you, Miss Valedictorian.”

“You gave me a run for my money until…”

Until he dropped out. He didn’t know why May seemed to hold onto that particular guilt when it had been his decision, what he had wanted. It was enough that she gave him Peter, he would drop out a thousand times if it meant that she still got to have the life she deserved before he wrecked it with a broken condom.

“Listen, I would never ask you for a thing and you know that,” he began.

“I do, even though I think that’s ridiculous. You know I’m always here for you both in whatever way I can be,” she countered.

“I’m allergic to asking for help.”

May laughed. “I know. So, what’s up? Did you have to kill someone to get him in? Cause I’ll bury a body as long as you don’t tell Ben.”

“Honestly, I think that might have been an easier request for me to ask for.” Tony sighed and closed his eyes, running his hand over his face. “I need like $3500 by Monday or else Peter is going to lose his spot. He got a scholarship but because we’re just barely lower middle class they jipped him and it’s only a partial amount. I have money in savings I can clear out but nowhere near that amount. I would never, ever ask this of you, but im in a spot. I’m really sorry to deop this on you.”

“Oh Tony,” May sighed into the phone and he felt his heart sink. “I really wish you had called to ask for anything else but they’ve been cutting my hours at work and Ben’s having to pick up doubles just so that we can make ends meet as it is.”

“Shit, May, I’m sorry I didn’t know.”

“No, it’s fine, maybe I can call my parents…”

“No,” he spoke firmly. The less that he and May and Peter had to do with her family the better. When May had fallen pregnant her father had badgered them both and pushed for an abortion despite it being against both of their desires. Mr. Reilly was a schlupp and he would never be indebted to that man, even for Peter. 

“Then what are you going to do?” 

“It’s fine, I’ll just ask Rhodey. He owes me some money anyway.”

“Tony…” she started and he knew that she didn’t believe him. She had always become a last resort.

“No, it’s cool, I’ve got this.”

“I’m sure you do...I understand my parents...but Maria would help you without a second thought. She called me the other day, asking if I had any recent pictures of Peter. She misses you both.”

Truth be it he missed her too in his exile. His mother hadn’t deserved to be cut off the way that she had but he couldn’t stay in that mansion where the expectations were so high and suffocated his every move. He couldn’t stand being the reason his father was so damn disappointed all the time, his potential seemingly squandered.

“You know I’m right. That’s why you’re being so quiet,” May teased. “Do you want me to call her?”

“No, no. Listen I’ll figure it out May, don’t you worry. I appreciate you trying to help.”

“Tony?”

“What?”

“You’re a good, Dad.”

“I’m trying…”

“Peter couldn’t have anyone better looking out for him. I mean that. Call your mother Tony. I’ll call friday to talk to Peter before my shift. Give him some love for me?”

“Always.”

The line went dead and Tony tossed the phone back onto his desk, feeling lower than he had all day. There was only one thing that he could do now and he really, really didn’t want to do it. 

True enough he still called his mother on holidays, sometimes sent her updates and pictures and even met up on her birthday, but this was different. This was asking for a monetary commitment and as much as he loved his mother and knew she would help, his father wouldn’t let him go so easily and he knew it. Maybe if he could just get her while she was alone and Howard still at work, then he could get what he needed without being drawn back into their web.

Fat fucking chance. 

Tony glanced back towards his desk and scanned back over Peter’s pictures. The chubby cheeks, the bambi eyes. He hadn’t failed the kid yet, and he sure as hell couldn’t fail him now. He just had to drink some humble juice and suck up what was left of his pride and get the job done. 

He groaned and grabbed his car keys and phone, leaving his office with a slam of the door. 

“Happy, I’ve gotta go upstate. I’ll be back in a couple hours. Please make sure that Clint gets that work done today. I’m serious, no sneaking food from the kitchen until he’s done, got it?” He called passing by the service desk.

“Got it, boss. Where you headed?”

Tony held up his arms and backed his way towards the front door. 

“Home, sweet home.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And so we introduce The elder Starks. lol Disclaimer that Howard starts off a total ass, much in the way Emily does in the show but he softens over time. He was never abusive or anything awful like that just terrible at communicating. 
> 
> Enjoy because we have a lot of fun going on in this chapter. Please let me know your thoughts and comments. I live off of them and it keeps me writing. <3 This still has no clear update schedule so hit that subscribe button to keep up to date! :D

The mansion looked the same as it always did as Tony pulled into the u-shaped driveway, his nearly twenty year old Ford truck standing out harshly behind the brand new Jaguar. He put his truck in park and turned it off, taking deep breaths to keep from hyperventilating. It felt like a pound of lead had been dropped into his stomach, heavy and sickening and he questioned for the millionth time if this is something he should really be doing. His instincts told him to run. Instead he slid out of the cab and straightened the dark blue button up he’d been wearing for work, and put his jacket back on. 

It wasn’t the kind of quality suit that he used to wear for his mother’s many charity events and he was pretty sure his parents affluent eyes would instantly know it was from the discount rack at Men’s Warehouse but he still looked damned good in it and put together. He didn’t want to come off as the destitute prodigal son, finally coming back crawling. Just someone in need of a slight loan for the next three years.

Tony groaned and forced himself to put one foot in the other towards the heavy oak doors. 

“Do it for Peter,” he mumbled and drew in another shaky breath, his nerves not alleviated in the slightest. He rang the doorbell with a quick hand and stood in wait, his eyes closed and his heart in his throat. 

The large doors were opened and Tony steeled himself for what was sure to be his mother’s excitement, instead he was met with a soft, lilting voice. “Young sir?”

Tony let out a gasp as he finally faced the door and was met with the familiar kind gaze of the family butler, Edwin Jarvis. Of course. How could he have ever forgotten about the man? He and Ana periodically took time away from the home, visiting family and friends in England but they always returned and had long since been considered family by the entire Stark clan. It had been through Jarvis’ encouragement that Tony made the decision to set out on his own. He loved Howard like a brother but he also knew how oppressive the environment Tony had been born into could be.

Tony enveloped the older man into a hug that he returned with a daze. “It’s been a long time, J.”

“Indeed it has, sir. I didn’t realize we were expecting you,” he said pulling away with a cautious smile. 

“Yeeeeah, it’s a bit of a spur of the moment kind of thing. Just dropping in to see Mom, is she here?”

“Of course,” Jarvis said backing away from the door and letting Tony step into the foyer. 

Whatever nerves had temporarily subsided with the appearance of Jarvis reappeared as he stepped inside the mansion. It had been years since he’d made it in farther than the foyer and the interior still looked the same. Cold, empty, oppressing. Too expensive furniture and decorative items meant to be looked at but not touched. He’d take his beat up sofa and second hand chair over any of this crap.

Tony lingered in the doorway as Jarvis went to collect his mother, awkwardly shuffling around and trying to convince himself he wasn’t making the biggest mistake since Napoleon invaded Russia in the middle of winter. It didn’t take long for them to return.

“Anthony, I wasn’t expecting you, did we have a lunch date?” Maria asked, as she made her entrance from the formal living room. 

She looked as beautiful and put together as she always had, blonde hair wound neatly into an elegant bun, not a hair out of place, wearing a classy white pant suit that probably costs more than Tony made in a month. Her smile was genuine though and she hugged him tightly, her Chanel No 5 perfume pervading the air around them.

“No, we don’t. I was in the neighborhood and thought I’d stop by,” he spoke with a soft smile.

Maria wasn’t a fool though and immediately saw through his thin ruse. “Your neighborhood is forty minutes away from here.”

“Well, you know, I actually take some business classes over at the college. I had a meeting with an adviser and thought I’d stop by on my way back.”

Not an outright lie. He did take business classes at the college. That he took them all online at home and wouldn’t know his academic adviser from Adam was irrelevant.

She still looked suspicious but accepted his answer for the time being, motioning for him to follow her into the living room. He ghosted a hand across the faux Ivory Grotrian Concert Royal piano as he passed, remembering better times, sitting side by side with his mother playing “Chopsticks.”

Tony was surprised to see the garish family portrait made when he was eleven still hanging over the fireplace. Worst weekend of his life to that point. The artist did the best they could but even in the picture Tony’s burning desire to flee and never come back was apparent on his face. 

Beneath the painting and on the mantle though he was more pleasantly surprised to see photos of Peter proudly displayed from birth to as recent as the summer. He hadn’t realized his mother actually kept them out in the open. Peter’s birth had been quite the scandal of the upper echelon community and lead to his parent’s own issues. One of the many reasons he took Peter and ran. 

“Would you like a drink?” she asked, turning to him from the wet bar as he took his seat.

Oh god did he ever. 

“If I wasn’t driving,” he lamented.

Maria rolled her blue eyes teasing. “I meant water or tea? Coffee?”

He really shouldn’t. He was hopped up on so much coffee at the moment that he was hard pressed to decipher whether it was coffee or nerves making him a shaking, jittery mess right now. Still. He was a weak man. 

“You’ve tempted me. Coffee would be excellent.”

Maria nodded and returned to her task, pouring them both a cup and taking a seat on the couch across from Tony. She placed their drinks on the coffee table before them and he immediately scooped the cup into his hands and took a drink.

“So, how did your meeting go?” Maria tried to ask nonchalantly as she stirred the creamer into her glass.

“Oh, you know,” he began, taking another drink. “Just checking in and making sure everything is on track…”

The distinctive clip of Armani shoes echoed across the foyer and Tony felt his heart drop and his throat double clutched on his last drink of coffee causing him to cough and sputter like an idiot. It couldn’t fucking be. 

“Maria, have you seen my cuff links…” Howard began as he entered the room in an impeccable suit. Though he must have been terribly shocked to see his son choking back a cough on his couch he didn't show it. Maria just smiled widely back and forth between the two men, completely unperturbed. “Anthony. Well, this is a surprise. It’s not even a holiday.”

And there it was. Perpetual disappointment laced with condescending overtones.

“Good to see you too, Dad,” Tony nodded his acknowledgment. “Thought you’d be at work by now.”

“Working from home today.” Howard flashed Tony a million dollar smile that could fool anyone else but Tony was able to see through to its predatory nature. Howard knew he had hoped to catch his Mother alone and now not a force on this Earth was going to make him leave this living room until Tony spoke his peace. Of fucking course. 

_ Do it for Peter. _

“Fantastic.”

“Anthony, was in the neighborhood because he’s taking business classes over at the college."

Howard digested the information with an unimpressed raise of his brow "Community college? How quaint."

Tony took a deep breath. 

_ Don’t rise to the bait. It’s what he wants. _

“What about the motel you work at? You not there anymore?”

Annnnd there’s the patented Howard Stark one-two punch.

"It's an Inn, Dad. I’ve been the Executive Manager for about six years now. Rhodey and I would like to go into business for ourselves someday, hence the classes."

"So, you need money," Howard suggested. It was said surprisingly judgement free but Tony didn’t like the gleam in the other man’s eye.

"Howard…" Maria cautioned.

"Look, I’m not here for me. It’s about Peter. He was just accepted to Midtown."

"That's incredible. Midtown has one of the best STEM programs in the country." Maria continued smiling on happily and even Howard looked fairly impressed. 

"They do. Peter has worked extremely hard to get into the school. He sacrificed a lot of weekend time last year on extracurriculars and tutoring and volunteer work. I'd hate to see an opportunity like this slip through his fingers."

Howard spoke again, smugly this time, "You need money."

“Dad, could you not be a total…” Tony clenched his fists letting his nails dig sharply into his palms and took in another calming breath. 

_ Do it for Peter _ . 

“Yes. You’re right, okay? There’s an enrollment fee which I can cover, but they also require the first semester’s tuition immediately or else Pete will lose his spot. The money is specifically for Peter, not for me and I have every intention of paying back every cent. I wouldn’t ask for your help if I had any other options.”

Something indeterminable played out across Howard’s face that didn’t match his normal smug authority. Was that regret? “Oh, yes. We know that.”

“I’ll get the checkbook sweetie,” Maria said, rising from her seat and sending Tony a reassuring smile. 

Tony felt undeniable relief course through his veins. That was surprisingly not nearly as hard as he thought it was going to be. Especially given Howard’s unexpected appearance.

“Thank you, Mom. I really do appreciate it.”

“Not so fast,” Howard intervened, gently grasping Maria’s elbow as she went to move passed him, the dread instantly returning to Tony’s features. He spoke too soon. “When I make an investment I expect to get a return out of it.”

Of course he did. He was Howard fucking Stark, and what Howard wanted he always got one way or another.

“Was the pain and suffering from my groveling not enough?”

“I would like your mother and I to have a bigger part in Peter’s life, and yours. Though your mother certainly has been able to see you both more...I would like the same courtesy.”

“And how do you propose we make that happen?”

“A weekly dinner on friday nights. You bring Peter up here with you tomorrow and after dinner I’ll have a check made out to Midtown. Otherwise, I’m afraid you’re out of luck.”

Howard went in for the knockout punch and Tony knew he’d been boxed in with no choice but to throw in the towel. It wasn’t quite the indentured servitude that he’d been expecting but it felt close enough. He was completely out of options though and Howard knew it. So, Tony grit his teeth and bared it.

“I don’t want Peter to know that I’m borrowing the money. Can we keep that between us?”

“That’s agreeable. Seven?” 

Howard held out a hand across the table to his son. Tony reluctantly reached out with his own and shook it, grip firm like his father had taught him. 

“Seven...is great.”

Tony had done what he had come to do. He secured Peter’s school money and that was the most important thing. As he left the house and climbed back into his vehicle though, he couldn’t help but think he had won the battle but as usual Howard had won the war.

* * *

_ -Hey, kid. Pre-marathon fuel up at Pepper’s 5pm!!  _

**_Got it! Also there may be one more joining us..._ **

_ -Besides Ned? _

**_We finally have a Leia._ **

_ \- :O Peter Anthony Stark. Did you ask a girl out?! _

**_It’s not a big deal. She’s a friend. Sorta._ **

_ -Let me guess, Scary Girl? _

**_Dad she’s not scary._ **

_ -She’s terrifying. If looks could kill everyone in this town would be dead. _

**_She has a name. It’s MJ._ **

_ -My little boy is becoming a man. :’( _

**_Please don’t make this weird._ **

_ -Too late. Weird is my middle name.  _

**_> :(_ **

* * *

“Ned, I’m hanging out with you, until it’s movie time,” Peter said, trotting down the steps of the school bus.

“Duh, where else would you go?” Ned replied, coming down right behind him, balancing all of his books in his hands. Peter didn’t know how he constantly lost his backpacks but it was just one of those Ned things. 

“You think I got my letter yet? Dude I swear this is going to be so awesome. We’ll both go to Midtown together, graduate top of our class, get full rides to MIT and be roommates. Maybe by then your Dad and Grandpa will get along again and we can get hooked up with jobs at Stark Industries,” Ned continued animatedly as they cross the street towards his house.

“Fat chance. I think my Dad would set himself on fire before working things out with my Grandpa.”

“But it’d be so cool. I don’t know why he would just give that all up.”

Peter knew why. Because of him. Sometimes he felt bad about it but his father had always assured him that if he wanted to be apart of Stark Industries still he could have been but it wasn’t the kind of world he wanted Peter to grow up in. They were still leading the weapons industry and his father wasn’t interested in being involved in a legacy of death. He had wanted his grandfather to diversify and presented him with ideas for phones, computers and even medical devices but Howard hadn’t been interested. Between his birth and that never ending fight his Dad had said enough and left.

“It’s complicated,” Peter summed up with a little smile. 

Thankfully they reached the house before before Ned could begin his attempts to get Peter to elaborate further as he always did when the family history turned up. Ned dove for the mailbox and pulled out a stack mail. He riled through it and Peter expected him to be disappointed but hiding behind a Bass Pro Magazine trial was a manila envelope with Midtown’s name stamped on it. It seemed a little thin but Peter remembered what Ned had said. 

“Big envelope, good?” Peter smiled.

Ned grinned back. “Definitely!!” He ran towards the house, Peter racing behind him and threw the rest of the mail and his school books onto the kitchen table as he passed it to reach the stairs to his room. 

Ned tossed open his door without a care and flopped into one of his worn bean bag chairs, Peter flopping into an identical one beside it. Ned took a deep breath.

“The moment of truth has arrived! Midtown here we come!” He said and gave Peter a high five before ripping the envelope open. 

Peter leaned against him to read over his shoulder as he pulled the paper from inside. Time seemed to slow down from there as they skimmed the paragraphs and...oh. 

_ Oh _ .

“Shit, Ned.”

The smile that had lit up Ned’s entire face slowly dimmed as the words began to slip in. “What...how can I be in but not…”

The letter explained that while Ned had technically not been accepted into the school, all the available spots for the year had been filled already, and that he would instead be placed on a waiting list in the event that someone was unable to fulfill tuition requirements, dropped out or transferred. 

His friend was crushed.

“Well, if they didn’t take you then there’s no way they took me either. We were just too late again,” Peter tried to reassure him.

“Yeah maybe.”

“Besides, it’s like a thirty minute bus ride both ways, and you have to wear the stupid uncomfortable suits and their programs aren’t  _ that _ good anyways.”

“Stop, just stop. I know you’re trying to make me feel better but you kinda suck at it,” Ned said and offered a tight smile so Peter knew he was mostly joking.

“Well, I mean it. And if you didn’t get in then there’s no way I did. Your GPA was better than mine and you had way more electives and community service cause I was with my Mom this summer. Midtown is not the be all and end all, we will be just fine.”

Peter meant it. Ned had always been a little bit better at school than him. Peter loved building things but Ned was a whiz on the computer in ways that Peter could only hope to learn someday. Ned was the tech guy, the idea dreamer and Peter just carried those ideas out with their little projects. 

Honestly, it was almost a relief to know that they both probably hadn’t really made it in. Peter wasn’t an idiot, he knew exactly how expensive that school was and while he and his Dad were well enough off, they couldn’t afford that kind of dough. Not with his Dad saving to start his own business too. Midtown had always been a kind of pipe dream and Peter found that if it came down to it he didn’t mind to take one for the team. And that was even IF he was accepted. If Ned hadn’t made it, he didn’t hold out much hope for himself.

* * *

“I’m telling you Pep, I’m Michael Corleone in The Godfather Part 3.”

Only Tony Stark could burst into the diner with a statement like that one. Pepper had to hide her grin as she turned around to face him and whatever dramatic issue had occurred in between the 8 hours she saw him last. 

She tried to summon memories of the film to help her dissect Tony’s possible issue. Pepper wasn’t a big movie watcher but she had been present for that particular Stars Hollow screening, though she had fallen asleep after the first hour. There was only so much Sofia Coppola she could take. Tony said he would have been more offended if it was anything but Part Three. 

“You have diabetes?”

“ What? No!”

“Peter’s dating his cousin?”

“No, ew, what is wrong with you? No, I’m out of the mob, I’m finally free and clear and then just when I think I’m out, they pull me back in,” he spoke gruffly in his best Pacino imitation, hand motions and all. 

Okay, so she had the scene, but was still no where close to deducing what the hell he was talking about. 

“I’m not following.”

He scoffed. “Did you even watch this movie?”

“I fell asleep, remember?”

He groaned. “Pepper work with me. My parents. They’re lending me the money but it can’t just be a simple loan that I can pay them back with. Nooooooo. I have to sacrifice every friday night for the next three years having dinner with my father.”

“Okay, I think you skipped information here. Lending you money for what?”

“Pete got into Midtown, they want a small fortune, and I was backed into a corner with nowhere left to turn but to my folks.”

“Oh yay, he’s in! I knew he would be. Shit, now I gotta make that pie,” she contemplated where the hell she was going to get a hold of that kind of fruit at this time of year. Maybe Rhodey could hook her up. 

“Pep, back to my crisis please?” Tony said, waving a hand in front of her face. She grabbed it and he smiled warmly before she pulled away. 

“Ahh. Well, I mean what’s the harm? It’s just one night a week. I’m sure they mostly want to get to know Peter.”

“It’s my father that’s the problem. He wants to get his hooks into Peter. He wants to groom him and mold him into a tiny Howard and pull him into the family business and that’s not what Peter wants.”

Pepper raised her eyebrows and gave Tony a knowing look. “Not what Peter wants or you want?”

“I left for a reason, Pep. I wanted Peter to be able to do whatever he wants. If he wants to be a plumber then he can be a plumber. If he wants to be a rocket scientist, then he can do that to. He can’t do that if Howard gets to him, he’ll stifle his voice, his creativity...he doesn’t mean to do it but he does.”

She could tell that Tony was genuinely worried over the situation. Ever since she had known him he always had been obsessed with being the perfect parent and for the most part he was as close to it as he could be. Peter was an amazing kid, everyone loved him. Pepper didn’t even like kids and she had been so taken by his sweet brown eyes and wrapped around his finger since he could talk. Every so often though a major crisis event would occur, like now, and Tony would revert back to that scared kid, waiting for someone to rip Peter away from him. 

She smiled kindly at him and poured him a cup of pity coffee. 

“I think you’re worrying too much. You just need to relax. Remember you still have power in this too. It’s taken them too long to get an opportunity like this. I don’t think they’ll blow it just yet, but you can’t give them any ammunition either, so behave.”

He looked at the cup of coffee despondently, all of his previous animation drained. “I don’t want him to be shot down on the steps in front of me.”

Okay, this was getting too heavy.

"Why would they shoot, Peter?" she asked with a smile as his face appropriately adjusted into one of exasperation.

"The movie Pepper, it's another metaphor. "

Pepper just laughed at him and he caught on to what she was doing and laughed too.

“So, you and Pete having the usual or what?”

“Well, we have a big Star Wars marathon tonight so maybe...”

“Two burgers for here and two to go? Got it.” She wrote the order down on paper without a second thought and fed it through to the kitchen. The boys always had double the amount of junk food on movie nights.

“You know me so well, Pep, when am I going to wear you down and get you to marry me?” Tony asked innocently over his cup of coffee.

Pepper felt the familiar flutter in her stomach that she always seemed to get when Tony flirted with her. If she knew he was for real and not just the biggest flirt around she might have taken him up on one of his offers, but he just wasn’t interested in her in that way. So, she did what she always did. Gave a long suffering sigh and rolled her eyes.

“I’m not the marrying type.”

“Why not? You're the perfect Rhett Butler to my Scarlett O'Hara. Always saving me from my dramatic life."

“I’m too busy for marriage.”

Tony rolled his eyes “You know, a husband or a wife, I don’t judge, would be there to help you and maybe make it so you weren’t so busy. Kinda handle 50% of the workload and whatnot.”

“Or add to it. Especially you.”

“You wound me, sweetheart.”

“I’m not your sweetheart.”

“You could be,” he replied earnestly, that shit eating grin spread across his face.

“Tony…” she sighed. He always had to play these games with her. They were friends, nothing else. She started to say as much but saw Peter crossing the street with the same troubled look upon his face that Tony had when he came in. “Your kid is coming. Go sit at your table and I’ll bring your food out in a few,” Pepper nudged Tony and he smiled and hopped off his seat just as Peter came through the door. 

Pepper watched them interact for a moment, Tony hugging Peter like he hadn’t seen him in years instead of hours and leading him to their favorite table in the middle of the diner. She felt a familiar pull of longing as Tony got a bashful smile out of the kid and they laughed together over some stupid joke she was sure. 

Maybe one day Tony would really mean it when he flirted with her, and maybe one day she could join their little family.

* * *

“Okay, kid so focus up. I’ve got a lot of news to dump into your lap and only so much time to do it in if we’re going to get through all three Star Wars films…” Tony began, digging into the cheeseburger that Pepper had placed in front of them moments before.

“Oh, yeah about that…” Peter started avoiding Tony’s eyes.

“Oh, no what happened? Did scary Leia ghost you?”

Peter closed his eyes and shook his head. “Ghost me?”

“I’m hip with today’s lingo,” Tony smiled, taking another bite.

“No, Dad, just don’t.”

Tony rolled his eyes. “Well, out with it kid, we’re on a schedule.”

“Ned isn’t feeling too well today, so he can’t make it. I think maybe we should try for another night.”

“Oh I see what you’re doing here. Your best buddy ditches on us last minute and you want to call it off so dear old Dad can find something else to do while you have a little date night, am I right?”

Peter’s face immediately flushed a bright red as he stammered and started his words. “That -- No, that’s not it. I was going to reschedule with her too.”

“Pete, you can’t cancel on this girl, are you crazy? You’ve been pining over her since you were a pilgrim.”

It was Peter’s turn to roll his eyes. Would no one ever forget that Thanksgiving play?

“Besides, it could be your last chance, that’s what I was trying to say,” Tony continued.

“What do you mean?”

“Okay, don’t sue me for mail fraud but I may have opened a certain letter from a certain prep school and you my dear son, are Midtown bound!” 

Tony whipped his cell phone out and took a snapshot of Peter as he told him the news. Peter was definitely shocked, but it didn’t seem like it was a good kind of shock. He lowered his phone and looked Peter over with his own eyes. He looked like he was going to be sick. 

“You okay kid? Did Pepper finally poison us?”

“What? No. Just...wow. Midtown. It’s really happening…” he muttered plastering a small grin on his face.

“Okay, that was way more anticlimactic than I thought it was going to be. No jumping up and down and hollering?”

“Ms. Potts would kill me,” he said with a more genuine smile and took a bite of his burger.

“She’ll kill you if you keep calling her Ms. Potts. It was cute when you were five, not so much anymore, you’re just prematurely aging her now. Out with it now, what’s the matter?”

“Nothing, I’m just in shock I think...I’m taking it in.”

Tony didn’t believe him. Not entirely. There was more going on beneath the surface, but Peter would talk to him when he was ready. He always did.

“If you say so, kid. Bask in the moment. You’ve only been talking about it for years. Did Ned get his letter yet?”

Peter’s eyes went wide and he shook his head back and forth. “Nope. He didn’t. Darn mail carriers, I swear they must have a conspiracy about hiding your mail when you’re really looking forward to it. I’ll have to wait until he gets his letter to tell him. Ii don’t want him to be more anxious.”

Something was definitely off. 

“Okay, well, subject change. We’re having dinner with your grandparents tomorrow night.”

Peter cocked his head to the side and imitated cleaning his ears out with his fingers. “I’m sorry I must have had something in my ears just now, because I thought I heard you say that we’re having dinner with Grandma and Grandpa tomorrow.”

“We are.” Tony confirmed.

“Are they dying???”

Tony laughed. “Just my father’s soul.”

“Are  _ you _ dying???”

“No one is dying. Just… your grandmother misses us and wants to see you more especially. I told her we could start doing a weekly dinner type thing. It’ll be good.”

Peter leaned across the table and felt Tony’s forehead with the back of his palm. Tony swatted the boys hand away. He knew this was going to be a tough sell but he didn’t need all the dramatics broken out.

“You’ve been replaced with a pod person, that’s the only thing that I can think of,” Peter said going back to his burger in earnest.

“They’re getting old, I’m just trying to be nice and you know...rebuild some bridges. You know Grandma, she gets so excited to see you. It’ll be nice for her. I owe her this much. I think.”

“Hey pod-Dad, you’re not going to, like, convert me to a pod person to are you?”

“I will if you keep this up,” he said ruffling the teenager’s curly hair. “Eat, I’m going to add another burger for our to go order for your girlfriend.”

“Daaaad,” Peter whined and Tony smiled as the kid started acting more like himself again.

Tony leaned up against the counter as an elderly couple paid for their meal in front of him. They said hello to him as they passed by and he responded in kind then turned his charm to Pepper.

“What now?” she deadpanned him.

“Throw in another burger to go would ya? I forgot the kid’s girlfriend is coming over tonight too.”

“Girlfriend??? Who is that?”

“You remember the girl who lead the protest against the horse drawn carriages around the square last christmas?”

Pepper’s eyes widened.” The really scary one? I thought she was going to break my arm if I didn’t sign her petition.”

“That’s the one. Peter has been sweet on her for years.”

“No kidding? Well, good for him. You Stark men need a strong female presence in your lives to keep you in line.”

“You offering?”

“You wish,” she countered with a grin and went back to the kitchen to put his order in.

“You have no idea,” Tony whispered to himself and turned back towards his table.

Peter had finished his food and was slowly sipping at his coke. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders again and it was starting to drive Tony crazy not knowing why. He slid back into his chair across from Peter but the boy barely registered his presence . 

“If you’re that worried about your date I can give you some tips, you know? It’s been awhile but I’ve still got it.”

The statement didn’t pull the smile from Peter that Tony thought it would. Instead Peter looked nervously at him, wringing his hands together in front of him.

“Dad, I need to talk to you.”

“Why do I get the impression that I’m not going to like whatever you have to say?”

“Just promise not to freak out, okay?”

“You’re very reassuring kiddo.”

“I’m not going to Midtown.”

Tony laughed loudly, enough that he knew that the other customers were probably staring at him but he just couldn’t believe his ears. Peter always had a strange sense of humor but that was definitely not what he had been expecting. Only Peter wasn’t laughing. He was dead serious, his brown eyes not moving from Tony’s own, his jaw set in a tight line. 

“You’re kidding right? What do you mean you aren’t going to Midtown? You wanted in Midtown and now you are just like you planned.”

“I just think maybe we should wait. We already missed the start of the year, so I don’t wanna be behind on anything.”

“You’ll catch up, Pete.”

“And I’m sure that Midtown is costing you a lot, scholarship or not, right?”

“I’m the adult Peter, I’ll worry about the money. You’re covered. Don’t try to bow out of this for my sake.”

“But you shouldn’t have to. It’s fine, Dad.”

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing,” Tony said dropping his head into his hands and rubbing at his face and then his temples as he felt the beginnings of a headache coming on. “This morning I couldn’t get you to shut up about ties and programs and now tonight I tell you you’re in and you want out? What the hell has changed?”

Peter remained silent, averting his eyes and crossing his arms over his chest. Tony studied him for a moment before it clicked into place.

“Pete if this is about MJ you’ll still be able to see her. She only lives, like, three blocks from us and she usually boycotts all the town events pretty openly, and there’s cell phones and facebook and all that now.”

“It’s not about her, Dad.”

“Well, that’s the only thing that has changed since this morning so I’m having a hard time believing otherwise.”

“I just don’t want to go to the stupid school alright?” Peter said frustratedly, raising his voice and causing the other customers to give them odd glances. Even Pepper turned towards their table, concern all over her face.

Tony had to bite the inside of his cheek to keep from saying all the words he really wanted to say. He just couldn’t understand why the hell Peter had flipped so suddenly, if not for the girl. He wasn’t entirely sure that the Peter sitting across from him wasn’t actually a pod person.

“Peter, you and I don’t really fight very often, we’re good about being on the same page but this is one of those times that I am going to pull the Dad card out on you,” Tony spoke dangerously low. “You will be going to Midtown on Monday. It’s not up for discussion.”

Peter went to protest again but Tony cut him off, scratching his chair against the floor as he slid back suddenly. “I have to go. I forgot to see if Clint actually finished those A/C repairs or if he just hung out eating everything in the kitchen. Have fun on your date, but not too much fun, don’t wanna be like your old man, right?” He finished, fishing out some bills from his wallet and tossing them on the table. 

Tony rushed out of the diner before Peter could say another word and ignored Pepper’s voice calling out to him in the background.

He took a deep breath of the cool night air as he hurried to his truck. He had to get out of there before he said something he would really regret. The encounter that afternoon with Howard had been draining enough and stirred up enough bad memories about expectations and disappointments. He didn’t want to accidentally spill all of his bullshit all over Peter in his shock and anger. 

There was also no way in hell he was going to let Peter just quit Midtown either. They had worked too hard to get him there and Tony had crawled through the mud to get Peter the money he needed, not that he knew that.

On the other hand this could be his out. If he didn’t need the money then that meant he didn’t have friday night dinners to go to. As happy as that would make him he knew he couldn’t sacrifice Peter’s education. Midtown was what he wanted. Tony would give them both a little time to cool down and then they could sit down together and find out what the problem really was and resolve it like they always did. 

Sounded easy enough. 

Which meant it was actually going to be a pain in the ass to accomplish because if there was one thing that Peter had inherited from him, it was without a doubt his absolute stubbornness when he set his mind on something. 

It was going to be a long weekend.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Soooo, it has been like 3 months. Many apologies. I've been working mostly on my other big chapter fic but I am still working on this and other things on the side so make sure to hit the subscribe button! Thanks for all the kudos and comments and leave me a message down below if you're enjoying this! I live off of kudos and feedback. <3

Peter made his way down the street slowly, kicking up the beginning of fall leaves any time he passed them. He carried a plastic bag with their extra food from the diner twirling about in one of his hands and his earbuds were in, the music on his phone up as loud as possible to some band he didn’t even really like but felt good to listen to when his adrenaline was up. Some of the townspeople tried to say hi but Peter just ignored them all for once, not wanting to deal with small conversation right now. 

Peter was pissed. Probably more pissed at his Dad than he had ever been before. Normally, they didn’t fight. When they did it was about insignificant things, like pineapple on pizza or prequels vs sequels. Very rarely did the Dad Voice get pulled out on him. In public no less.

Part of him wanted to just tell his Dad his real reasoning for not going to Midtown. How Ned hadn’t gotten in and that this had always been their plan since they were kids. What kind of a friend would he be to leave his best friend, who had always been there for him, in the dust? It would crush Ned, and Peter just couldn’t do that. His Dad was just going to have to deal with it. It's not like he was the one going to school. It was Peter’s life and future to control. The whole reason his father ran away from his grandparent’s was for that freedom and now he was acting like the world’s biggest hypocrite. 

He kicked the leaves and twigs and rocks in his path as he walked the rest of the way home, stewing in his thoughts. The sun had already gone down all the way, street lights leading the way to the end of the road where his house was, his father’s truck absent from the driveway. 

He had said he was going to the Inn but Peter almost hoped that he hadn’t so that they could either resolve this incident or continue fighting it out. He stomped up the porch steps and swung his backpack around to grab the keys from his front zipper pocket when there was movement to his left where the porch swing was. A hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder and he dropped the food and jumped back a couple feet, his earbuds falling out and around his neck.

“MJ!” Peter startled breathing hard and stuttering out a gasping laugh. “You scared the crap outta me.”

“Hey, loser. Thought you ditched me. You said eight, right?” She asked it with that same chilled out tone she always used though Peter was able to detect the slight nervousness beneath the calm veneer. 

Oh crap. Movie night. Peter had mostly forgotten about it, all of his energy having been directed into his anger. He had meant to text MJ that they needed to reschedule and completely failed at that when Pepper had come to his table and distracted him, trying to see what caused the big blow up in the diner. 

Peter looked at his watch and it read 8:23pm. He groaned outwardly, his face turning to one of complete remorse.

“Crap, MJ, I am so sorry. I meant to text you and reschedule tonight...something came up and…” he fumbled his words.

MJ’s eyes went wide and her mouth opened and shut a couple times. 

“Oh. Okay. Yeah, no, it’s cool. Really. Um. I’ll just...go,” she said pointing towards the porch steps. She knew a brush off when she saw one. 

“No, no. I’m sorry it’s not like that. It’s nothing to do with you, it's me…”

“I said it’s fine, I understand. See ya tomorrow,” she said rushing down the porch stairs embarrassed.

“Wait!” Peter called out to her. This was not how any of this was supposed to go at all. He was blowing it. 

MJ turned to look at him, her eyes reflecting a little hurt before she schooled her features and that was when he noticed what she was wearing. He smiled at her and felt his bad mood slowly begin to seep away. 

“What are you wearing?”

“Oh, this.” She looked down at her long white dress and brown belt around her waist. On top of her head she wore ear muffs in the shape of Princess Leia’s famous bun hairstyle. “You dorks needed a Leia right? I don’t do anything by half measures,” she said with a shrug of her shoulder, her stare daring him to make fun of her.

“We do. You look amazing,” Peter smiled brightly. “Not that you don’t normally, but I didn’t expect the cosplay and this is just great. My dad would really get a kick out of you.”

With the mention of his Dad, Peter grimaced and hung his head a little bit. He took a deep breath and came down the porch steps before MJ.

“I’m sorry, can we start over? This day has been a dream and nightmare rolled into one.”

MJ looked him up and down before turning around back towards the street and for a moment Peter thought that she was going to say no and leave him standing there like a fool. Instead she took her own visible breath before turning back around and sticking her hand out to Peter. 

“Hey, loser. You ready for some Star Wars?”

Peter grinned. “Hey MJ, nice Leia costume! Heck yeah let's do this.”

MJ linked her arm in his and Peter led her back onto the porch. He let go of her and picked his backpack and fallen keys up, unlocking the door and nudging it open with his foot before leaning back down for the bag of food.

“I hope you like cheeseburgers because I have a TON!”

Peter prepared popcorn and drinks once they got inside and brought it all into the living room, setting it between the hoard of food meant for more than two people, but he wouldn’t think of that right now. Right now he just wanted to think of MJ sitting in his living room on his couch. 

They ate and quoted the movie back and forth, Peter filling in for most of the major characters, changing his voice to fit each one. MJ laughed whenever he particularly bombed a voice and her laughter was like a balm on the last of his anger that lurked beneath the surface. 

The Rebels had just destroyed the Death Star when MJ looked over at him with an intense gaze. He returned the look and his eyes darted unconsciously to her lips. He wondered if she was thinking about kissing him. He hadn’t thought of it himself but now that the idea had formulated in his mind it wouldn’t let go. Peter felt himself lean forward but she halted him before he made any real progress.

“What happened to you tonight?”

Peter shook his head confused. “What do you mean?”

“Earlier you said today had been a dream and a nightmare. And I can’t help but to notice that half the party for your nerd marathon is conspicuously absent, AND you were almost thirty minutes late getting to your own house. So. Spill your guts. I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

Peter opened and closed his mouth a few times, not expecting for her to want to hear the details of his sordid night but she looked at him earnestly and openly and it was hard not to listen to her. It was like she was using a Jedi mind trick on him.

“I had a big fight with my dad right before I came home. He left me at the diner and said he was going to the Inn but considering it’s almost eleven now and he still isn’t home, I’d say he’s having a few beers with my Uncle Rhodey instead.”

“Nice, “ she said nodding her head along with him. “What did you fight about? You guys never fight. It’s freaky how sympatico you are.”

“Nothing. It’s stupid.”

“If your blow up was in the diner then I’m sure I’ll hear all about it tomorrow. There’s nothing this town loves more than good gossip material and you my friend will be at the top of the tea spilling. I’d rather hear it from you than some biddies at the grocery store.”

She was right. Pepper’s had been full tonight and he hadn’t exactly been the calmest or the quietest during their discussion. God everyone in town was going to know he and his Dad had fought and every single person would have their nose in his business until they were placated with knowledge. 

“God you’re totally right,” he groaned and flopped back against the worn but comfortable couch, sliding down as he ran his hands over his face. “I’m so stupid.”

“I’ve seen your GPA. You’re definitely not stupid,” MJ said encouragingly. “Not as good as mine though.”

Peter huffed out a breath of laughter. Who would have known that MJ could make him laugh so much? He should have started talking to her sooner. Got up the courage years ago to ask her to hang out instead of always watching from afar. 

“So, Ned and I have had this plan for years that for high school we would try to get into Midtown. You heard of them?”

“Of course I have. Kinda insulted you’d even have to ask.”

“Well, we missed out last year so we tried again this year and the letters were just sent out for late fall. You know kinda that insurance for any kids who dropped out or switched schools or whatever…”

“You didn’t get in did you?”

“No, that’s the problem,” Peter said and ran his hand through his hair, tugging at the slight curls nervously. “I DID get in.”

MJ scrunched up her face in confusion, glancing around the room for effect. “That’s bad because…?” she trailed off.

“Ned didn’t.” Peter finished as if that explained everything.

“Okaaaaaaay,” she drew the word out and shrugged her shoulders.

“So, I’m not going if Ned doesn’t go. When I told my Dad I wasn’t going to go he freaked. ”

MJ’s face scrunched up tighter if that were even possible. “I take it back. You’re stupid,” she replied with a sad nod of her head.

“What?! Why?” Peter thought that MJ of all people would have been one to understand where he was coming from. She had never been a fan of authority figures so it went without saying that included all parents.

“You’re going to blow this big opportunity just because you won’t have your friend there as your safety net?” 

“What are you talking about? He’s not some kind of safety net…”

“You said it yourself that you guys have planned this for years and why not? Going together would prevent you from being the only dweebie new kid. You’d go through the big scary halls of high school with the comfort of having someone you knew by your side and not worrying about who you’ll sit next to in the cafeteria or in class. That way you wouldn’t have to deal with potentially being rejected by all the other spoiled rich elitist kids. Even if you were rejected at least you’d have each other.”

She wasn’t exactly wrong. There was always anxiety when starting a new school but whereas he had been raised in Stars Hollow his entire life he’d grown up around all of the same people, the kids he went to elementary and middle school were generally the exact same people he wound up with in high school. He knew everyone. He knew what bullies to avoid, who always had an extra pencil and who he’d have to compete with to earn valedictorian. Going to a new school in a new city completely turned everything he knew upside down and yes, having Ned by his side to understand and deal with the harder parts would be nice but that wasn’t his only reason. 

“I see where you’re coming from and subconsciously you’re onto something but that’s not why I don’t want to go. I just...I can’t leave him behind is all. This is something we promised that we would do together, like a dream. I don’t want Ned to feel like I’m abandoning him.”

“ _ Does _ Ned feel like you’re abandoning him?”

“What? I don’t know…”

“Well, have you asked?”

“Not exactly…”

“You haven’t told him you got in have you?”

“I...just found out over dinner....I didn’t have any time between now and then to really stop and have a discussion.”

“And yet your mind was already made up? How do you think Ned would feel if he found out that you gave up this incredible chance to get the hell outta here based on some feelings that you don’t even know that he would have?”

Peter frowned. “You didn’t see him when he got the letter, MJ. He was crushed.”

“Of course he was. That doesn’t mean that he wouldn’t want you to take the opportunity he wasn’t given.”

Peter sat in silence for a few moments after that, just thinking and absorbing what MJ had said to him. He really hadn’t considered Ned’s perspective in his decision apart from that fact that he didn’t want him to be hurt or worse - jealous. But Ned had never been the jealous type in all the years Peter had known him. He was a genuinely good person. Which was why Peter couldn’t just leave him behind. Ned deserved this chance more than he did. 

“It’s my future. My decision. Why am I not allowed to decide what is best for myself?”

“Look, I really hate siding with parental figures but I think you should talk to your Dad and tell him what’s going on, I think you would benefit from what he says more. Isn’t this a little been there done that for your family?” MJ spoke up after some time and shrugged her shoulders. 

“At least Dad got to make his choice. He’s not giving me one.”

“No, at least he cares. He could be like my dad and completely ignore you unless you’re the newspaper or a rousing episode of Jeopardy.”

Peter gave her a sympathetic glance and put his hand over hers where it lay on the couch. MJ looked at it like it was the most alien notion in the world before pulling away, not unkindly, just confused. 

“It’s whatever. I’m not complaining really, it could be much worse. Anyways, that’s my cue to get out of here. I promised my Mom I’d be back by midnight and I actually like her so…”

She stood up from the couch and Peter followed, walking her quietly to the door

“Thanks for inviting me to your nerd party. It was fun. We should do it again sometime.”

Peter forced a smile to his face as he tried to shake off the conflicting thoughts of their conversation. He really had had a good time, the talk notwithstanding, and clearly she had as well or she wouldn’t want a repeat performance.

“I promise next time we’ll keep the family drama with the Skywalker’s. I appreciate you listening though. It made my night a lot better than it would have been otherwise.”

“It’s cool. This is good practice for when I inevitably go to school for psychiatry.”

Peter wasn’t sure if that was a joke or not so he just nodded his head and smiled again, this time genuinely. They had another one of those awkward moments where they stared at each other and he again wondered if they would kiss but MJ again broke the spell, taking off her Leia hair buns and putting them over Peter’s head.

“That’s a good look for you. I think next time I have dibs on Han Solo next time. A bit sexist for me to have to be the only chick role. Besides, when we get to Return of the Jedi I think you would totally own the slave Leia motif better than I could.”

“I seriously doubt that but you’re on. Maybe we can watch Empire this saturday?”

“Sounds fun. See ya tomorrow, Stark.” 

Mj patted his arm with a couple rough taps before heading out the door and into the night. Peter slowly shut and locked it behind her, walking back into the living room and flopping backward over the back of the couch, thought of Ned and his dad and Midtown pushed from his mind, instead being filled with the thought of MJ in that gold bikini. God he was acting like such a pervert.

He tried to think of anything else as he sighed and reached for the bucket of popcorn before turning on Netflix and picking a comedy special he’d seen more times than he could count. He glanced at his phone and briefly entertained texting his Dad to make sure he was okay but then got mad again when he remembered that he was the one that had been left at the diner.

Instead he tossed his phone on the coffee table and turned his full attention to the standup comedian on the tv. He was determined not to let the fight ruin anymore of his salvaged evening. He had plenty of time to be angry with his Dad tomorrow.

* * *

Tony opened the door to the house just after midnight. He glanced towards the living room and didn’t immediately see Peter until he noticed a foot hanging off the edge of the couch. The kid must have fallen asleep already.

He quietly made his way into the room and confirmed with his own eyes, his son’s sleeping form. Peter laid pressed face down into one of the throw pillows on the couch, one hand still reaching into the overturned popcorn bowl. 

Tony felt a pang of guilt for bailing on their movie night that evening as he came around the other side of the couch to kneel next to Peter, picking up the popcorn bowl and cleaning up the mess. If he hadn't left the diner when he did though, Tony knew he would have regretted that more. He had always been a stubborn man, but sometimes he could be a real asshole and he really didn’t want to live with saying something to Peter that he'd regret, like Howard and he had done to each other.. It had always been something in the heat of the moment but the words spoken could never be taken back no matter how much they wished otherwise.

Gently he reached out and ran a hand through Peter’s messy hair. 

He had always promised to do better by Peter so he had gotten himself out of a bad situation the only way he knew. Running. He ended up at Rhodey’s place, and after a couple of beers and plenty of venting, Rhodey spoke to him in that same calming tone he always had, and convinced him that Peter would come around eventually. He wanted to believe that. He really did. But Peter was a Stark and Stark men were hard headed through and through.

Tony grabbed one of the throw blankets off the back of the couch and tucked it around Peter’s sleeping form. He turned off the tv and leaned over to press a light kiss to Peter’s temple.

“I love you, buddy,” he whispered quietly into the darkened room before he slowly made his way towards the staircase and his own bed.

“I love you too, Dad,” Peter whispered back when he was sure his father was gone from the room.

**Author's Note:**

> Find me on tumblr as theherothechampiontheinquisitor (how the hell do you add links to this?) lol


End file.
